Improvement in reversible knob-latches



form its bearing in the said plate and case.

.itung-d (gieten @tutti @llllll WILLIAM H. ANDREWS, OENEW HAVEN, GONNEOTIGUT, ASSIGNOR TO BURTON MALLORY, OE SAME PLACE.

' Letters Patent No. 111,028, dated January 17, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE KNOB-LATCHES.

The Schedule Vreferred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WLLLIAM H. ANDREWS, 'of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of' Connecticut," have invented a new Improvement in Knob-Latches; and I do hereby declare the followin g, when taken iu connection with the accompanying drawing and the letters ot reference markedthereon,

. to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame,

and which said drawing eonstitutespart ot' this specitication, and represents in- Figure 1, a view ot' the latehcase with the plate removed;

Figure 2, a perspective view of the follower g Figure 3, a perspective View of' the case, the plate I'emovedg Figure 4, a perspective view of the inside of the plate;

Figure 5, a section through the latch-bolt and follower as in the act of closing the ca se; and in Figure 6, a sectional view on the same line, the case closed.

lhis invention relates to an improvement in knoblatches, the object being to make the latch reversible for right or left-hand doors, as also to construct the follower so that it will leave its own core in casting, so as to facilitate the closing ot' the case when opened for reversing the latch-bolt, and consists iu constructing the case and Iplate each with a flange upon the inside around the follower, opening and extending inward to form a seat for the follower, and` combined with the latch-bolt and ribs upon the case and plate for the support of the latch-bolt, whereby I am enabled to shorten the follower', and also to facilitate the closing of the case.

A is.the case.

B, the removable plate.

C, the latch-bolt, constructedwith a yoke, a (l, exs tending aroundthearms l of the follower D.

In the construction of' this class of locks the follower has heretofore been made of sufficient length to extend through to the outside of the case and plate, lalpd is makes the barrel `and follower so long that it is diicult, if not impossible, tomold it so as to leave its own core.

To shorten the follower to little more than half its usual thickness, I form upon the inside of the case A seen in fig. 6. By this construction I am able to shorten the follower to about halt' its usual thickness,

and this enables me to mold the follower so as toI f rIhis construction also affords another greatadvan` tage in putting the lock together, for when the plate is raised the spring will always draw thc--latch-bolt forward, and with it the follower, so as to tip the follower fronrits position, as denoted iu fig. 5; and in the common construct-ion the plate cannot be replaced except by guiding the follower and holding it in its seat until the plate is set onto it; but by this construction the plate B set onto the case and then simply pressed down, the flange b of itself forces the follower into position without the intervention of any other device or assistance of any person closing the case.

These advantages enable me to make an extremely cheap reversible latch.

The latch-bolt is constructed with theyoke central, as secu in figs. l., 5, and G, so that, either sideup, it is in the same relative position to the follower.l Flhe case and plate are provided with ribs E, which form a bearing for the yoke and support the bolt iu its proper position.

To reverse the latch, simply remove the plate and turn the latch the reverse side up; then the plate,.set

back upon the case, as in fig. 5, and pressed down, throws the follower into its4 position, and the plate is secured.

I do not wish to be understood as claiming a latchbolt constructed so 'as to be made reversible by taking lt from the ease and turning it the reverse side up, as

such I am aware is very old; but

I claim as my invention- In knob-latches, the case A and-plate B, each provided with the flange l1 around the follower-opening and ribs E, combined with the follower D and bolt C, constructed as described, and arranged to operate substantally iu the manner set forth,

l u WM. H. ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

J onu H. SHUMWAY, A. J. lIBBITs 

